The Commander of Operation Shujaa, Maj Gen Dick Olum, who is commanding an operation to hunt for the suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels who recently stormed Kasese District, says six rebels have been killed and five guns have so far been recovered after exchanged gunfire with the rebels shortly before the incident and continued to engage with them on Wednesday
The ADF is a group that was formed in Uganda, but its activities have spilled over to other neighboring countries in the region. The group has been accused of committing various atrocities, including kidnapping, murder, and recruitment of child soldiers. The group’s main objective is to overthrow the Ugandan government and establish an Islamic state in the region.
He explained that three of the guns were recovered two days after the attack on June 16. 43 people, mainly students, were killed during the attack that occurred in the night.
Maj Gen Olum also revealed that one of the fire exchanges happened at the two rivers of Talia and Mwalika in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He made the remarks on Friday while in Kasese together with Defence minister Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja.
UPDF spokesperson Big Gen Felix Kulayigye in an interview with this publication on June 20 said three students had escaped from rebels and returned to their parents in Kasese.
Maj Gen Olum explained that in one of its encounters with the rebels, they rescued one woman and three children.
“I think it was some confusion of miscommunication; as far as those kids being rescued, we hadn’t got that yet. The President called me and I told him exactly the same, I think it was a miscommunication of the woman and those three kids,” he said.
“We exchanged gunfire with them [ADF] shortly after that incident and on Wednesday we killed about six of them, that is the group commanded by Abua-kasi. The good thing is that Maj Mbauta [Levy], the son of the soil (Kasese), is the one pursuing those ADF rebels to bring those children home,” he said.
According to a statement by the UPDF, the rebels had been sighted in the area where the exchange of gunfire occurred. The UPDF had warned them to surrender, but the rebels reportedly refused to comply. This led to the gunfire exchange, which resulted in the ADF rebels’ deaths and the recovery of their firearms.
The UPDF has vowed to continue its mission to eliminate the ADF rebels and restore peace to the region. This mission is crucial as the group poses a significant threat to the region’s security. The ADF has been known to receive funding from international terrorist organizations, and their activities have been linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Their activities have caused instability in the region and have disrupted the livelihoods of local residents.
In conclusion, the UPDF’s success in eliminating the ADF rebels and recovering their firearms is a significant step towards restoring peace to the region. The group’s activities have caused significant harm to the local population, and their links to international terrorist organizations make their elimination a top priority. Continued efforts to mobilize international support and investigate financing sources will be instrumental in the fight against the ADF rebels.
